azimuths
|az-i-muths|
/ˈæzɪməθs/
(azimuth)
horizontal direction / compass bearing
Etymology
'azimuth' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'as-samt' or the plural 'as-sumūt', where 'samt' meant 'direction' or 'path'.
'azimuth' came into European languages via medieval Latin/Old Spanish forms (e.g. medieval Latin/Spanish 'azimut'/'azymut') from Arabic 'as-sumūt', and eventually entered modern English as 'azimuth'.
Initially it meant 'direction' in a general sense, and over time it became specialized to mean 'a horizontal angle or bearing' in navigation, surveying, and astronomy.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the horizontal angle measured clockwise from a reference direction (usually true north) to the direction of an object or line; a compass bearing.
The surveyor recorded the azimuths of each boundary line.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
plural use to refer collectively to several directions or bearings.
The pilots compared the azimuths shown on their charts before takeoff.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/07 09:20